So the snow has kept kids home, caused traffic problems, and made it difficult for our patients to make it in to the office.  We understand if the weather has kept you indoors these past couple weeks.  It’s kept myself and my staff from doing some of the things that we would like to do.  Trust me when I say that I’d rather be golfing than watching golf on TV over the weekend.  These times give me an opportunity to stress how important keeping up with your check ups and cleanings are however.  These preventative appointments allow us to monitor for small problems before they become big problems.  A small cavity that doesn’t hurt will undoubtedly turn into a bigger cavity that will infect the nerve of your tooth.  The last thing you want is a toothache when there’s six inches of snow on the road.  The only chance that my staff and I can stop the progression of an asymptomatic cavity is if we see you for your preventative appointments.  We stress being a comprehensive and thorough practice.  We not only check for cavities in the teeth at these preventative appointments, but we also perform oral cancer screenings, gum and bone recession, and give you tips on how to take better care of your mouth.  Many of the things we find early are not painful.  If given enough time, the problems become painful and by then discussions about root canals, deep cleanings, and tooth loss will need to take place.  I’m not telling you these things to scare you, but to demonstrate the value of keeping your preventative appointments.  And if you need to cancel that preventative appointment because you can’t get out of your driveway due to the snow, please reschedule it so we can help you stay healthy and pain free.